RED Driving School

ACCOMPANYING A LEARNER DRIVER

Date: May 2009

RED Driving School responds to Swinton Insurance survey findings

A recently published survey [May 2008] by insurer Swinton found that fewer learner drivers are taking lessons from approved driving instructors and are instead turning to friends and family for private tuition, blaming the recession for a shortage of cash.

Despite a 2008 Driving Standards Agency (DSA) study that counters these findings, there is still an important point to address, which is the safety of learner drivers and other road users during the learning process should learners not take professional instruction.

Swinton’s Insurer Development Manager, Steve Chelton, “recommends that all learners take professional lessons and only practise with friends or family when their instructor says they are ready,” a statement that RED Driving School – which has witnessed an increase of more than 50 per cent in lesson bookings year-on-year 2008/09 – fully supports.

Road safety is crucial when learning to drive. An approved driving instructor has the skills, knowledge and equipment to safely teach learner drivers. This not only helps to protect other road users, but also the learner driver from potentially hazardous situations encountered on the road.

RED Driving School believes it is beneficial to gain as much practical experience as possible when learning to drive, but it strongly recommends that learners should first have professional instruction from an approved driving instructor, who can then give them specific areas to practise, when ready, during private practise.

However, it is by no means an easy task for friends or relatives to help a learner driver practise their driving skills. RED Driving School has produced its top ten tips for accompanying a learner driver to help maintain road safety, ensure good driver attitudes and avoid passing on bad driving habits to your learner.

Click here for our top ten tips for accompanying a learner driver